1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the creation of prepaid telephone calling cards, and, in particular, to a method and apparatus for the interactive creation of custom prepaid telephone calling cards.
2. Discussion of the Background Art
Competition in the long distance carrier market has led to a proliferation of new products and marketing techniques for selling long distance time. One innovation is the prepaid telephone calling card which provides a user with a certain amount of long distance time. The long distance service may include various national or international regions.
A prepaid calling card service provider typically purchases long distance capacity in volume, for example by leasing a number of lines, and in turn provides long distance calling services to businesses and individuals through the use of prepaid calling cards.
A prepaid calling card user usually purchases a specific number of minutes or for a specific dollar amount of long distance service, paid for in advance. The user is typically given a card on which is imprinted an access telephone number and an account number. Upon calling the access number, the user is prompted to enter the account number and the destination number they wish to call. A system checks the account, and if a positive balance remains, the user is connected to their destination number. During the course of the call, the account balance is deducted as the call progresses. Calling privileges are discontinued when the balance reaches zero.
Current distribution of telephone cards has typically been accomplished through retail outlets, such as gas stations, grocery stores, convenience stores and to some degree through manually operated vending machines. The conventional prepaid card distribution channels usually consist of a hierarchical network of manufacturers, distributors and sub-distributors that physically manufacture and place hard copy cards at the retail distribution outlets.
One of the limitations of conventional prepaid calling card commerce is that existing marketing channels and distribution methods are expressly tied to predefined trademarks and designs. Prepaid calling card providers strive to make their cards immediately recognizable and attempt to create and maintain their customer base through brand identification. Another limitation of presently available prepaid calling cards is that they are targeted to a single user. A prepaid calling card can realistically be used only by the person in possession of the physical card. As a practical matter, joint use of a card by multiple persons is not practical. Another limitation is that prepaid calling cards are usually sold in predefined denominations, for example, $5, $10, $20, etc. A user is restricted to purchasing a prepaid card in the available denominations which may be inconvenient depending on a users calling habits. In addition, the physical layout of the cards and related packaging is usually predefined, based on the desire for brand identification mentioned above. This limits the amount of space available for targeted advertising, collateral product sales, and other marketing opportunities, and also limits and may even prohibit customisation of the prepaid calling card itself.
The Internet has become an important advertising, distribution, and service channel for many businesses. For example, a web site on the Internet not only provides an enterprise with a vehicle for advertising its products and for providing customer service, but may also provide a distribution channel for the products. As such, a web site provides a powerful channel of commerce, accessible to anyone in the world with the appropriate equipment, without time or geographical restrictions. A web site further offers an opportunity to provide additional presentations and marketing situations to a much larger audience of customers and potential customers than more traditional marketing and distribution techniques.
The present invention described below overcomes the above limitations by: (a) creating an alternate, less expensive, method of distribution, (b) eliminating the need to create and maintain expensive trademarks, (c) reducing printing costs, (d) providing users with the ability to instantly order and use the phone cards, (e) eliminating the denomination limitations on cards, (f) supporting shared use of calling cards, (g) providing for enhanced marketing and cross selling opportunities without the physical space limitations of calling cards, (h) allowing users to created personal cards with their “own brand” or messages, and (i) providing for multiple means of incorporating calling card profiles into other physical or electronic personal communication devices to facilitate increased use of the same.